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schlaff

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

German

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Etymology

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From Middle High German slaf, from Old High German slaf, from Proto-Germanic *slap-, perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)leh₂b- (to be weak, limp, languid), see also Latin labō (fluctuate, waver).[1]

The same word of Low German origin is schlapp, a synonym in modern standard German.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ʃlaf/
  • Audio:(file)

Adjective

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schlaff (strong nominative masculine singular schlaffer, comparative schlaffer, superlative am schlaffsten)

  1. (of things) slack, limp
  2. (of people) weak, weary

Usage notes

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Schlaff is the more common form referring to things; schlapp is the more common form referring to people.

Declension

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Derived terms

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References

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  1. ^ van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “slap”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute

Further reading

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  • schlaff” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • schlaff” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • schlaff” in Duden online